Avalanche in Truckee Claims Nine Lives, Leaves One Missing After Rescue Efforts
Updated (2 articles)
Avalanche Strikes at Midday on Feb 17 Near Castle Peak The slide hit the backcountry ski group at about 11:30 a.m. PT on Feb 17 in the Castle Peak area north of Soda Springs, west of Truckee, during a powerful winter storm that dumped several feet of new snow [1][2]. The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a high‑danger warning from 5 a.m. Feb 17 through 5 a.m. Feb 18, warning that large avalanches were possible [2]. The avalanche buried part of the party on a slope with an unstable base and fresh snow loading [1].
Group Composition and Casualty Numbers Vary Across Reports The expedition consisted of four Blackbird Mountain guides and twelve recreational skiers, though the BBC later clarified the group numbered 15 after one participant withdrew [1]. The BBC reported six survivors, two injured, one missing, and nine confirmed dead [1]; Newsweek listed six survivors and ten missing, implying no bodies recovered at that time [2]. Both sources agree the majority of the fatalities were women, with the sheriff’s office confirming seven women and two men among the dead [1].
Rescue Operations Mobilized Multiple Ski‑Resort Teams Nevada County Sheriff’s Office deployed 46 responders, including specialized ski teams from Boreal Mountain and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, plus a SnoCat snow‑cat to traverse deep snow [2]. Highway 80 was closed by the storm, prompting rescuers to use a snow‑cat and resources from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner to reach the site two miles away by late afternoon [1]. Two injured skiers were evacuated, while the missing individual remains unaccounted for pending safe recovery conditions [1].
Avalanche Danger Remains Elevated After Recent Incidents The Sierra Avalanche Center warned that buried victims can die within an hour, emphasizing the need for beacons, probes, shovels, and newer inflatable backpacks [1]. The region experienced a fatal avalanche in the same area the previous month and a January snowmobile death on nearby Johnson Peak, underscoring ongoing snowpack instability [2]. Authorities continue to advise travelers to avoid avalanche terrain until conditions improve [2].
Sources
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1.
BBC: Avalanche Strikes Backcountry Ski Group in Truckee, California – Details the Feb 17 slide, rescue logistics, nine deaths, one missing, and the involvement of local ski‑resort teams, noting personal loss among rescuers .
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2.
Newsweek: Search Ongoing for Missing Backcountry Skiers After California Avalanche – Focuses on the ongoing search for ten missing skiers, six survivors, the high‑danger warning, and recent regional avalanche incidents .
Timeline
Jan 2026 – A fatal avalanche occurs in the Castle Peak area, underscoring the region’s growing snowpack instability and foreshadowing the tragedy that follows later in the month [2].
Jan 2026 – A snowmobiler dies at Johnson Peak/Castle Peak, adding to a string of recent backcountry deaths that heighten awareness of avalanche risk in the Sierra Nevada [2].
Feb 17, 2026 (early morning) – The National Weather Service issues a winter‑storm warning for the Sierra Nevada, forecasting several feet of new snow that will load the slopes and complicate any rescue effort [2].
Feb 17, 2026 (5 a.m.–5 a.m. Feb 18) – The Sierra Avalanche Center posts a high‑danger warning, noting an unstable base and heavy new‑snow loading, and advises travelers to avoid avalanche terrain [2].
Feb 17, 2026 (11:30 a.m. PT) – An avalanche bursts down Castle Peak near Frog Lake Huts, striking a 15‑person backcountry ski party during a powerful winter storm [1][2].
Feb 17, 2026 (shortly after 11:30 a.m.) – A guide’s iPhone satellite text and a skier’s distress beacon transmit emergency alerts, prompting the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office to launch a coordinated response [1].
Feb 17, 2026 (afternoon) – Rescue teams, including 46 responders, ski‑rescue units from Boreal Mountain and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, and a SnoCat snow‑cat, navigate a Highway 80 closure and deep snow to reach the site by 5:30 p.m., using resort resources to expedite the effort [1][2].
Feb 17, 2026 (later that day) – Rescuers locate six survivors sheltering in tents; two require evacuation for injuries, one remains missing, and authorities confirm nine fatalities (seven women and two men) while awaiting safe recovery conditions [1].
Feb 17, 2026 (evening) – Sheriff Wayne Woo, whose own colleague’s spouse is among the deceased, states, “We remain focused on rescuing the survivors and will recover the bodies once the weather permits,” emphasizing the team’s commitment despite personal loss [1].
Feb 17‑18, 2026 (ongoing) – Search operations continue for the remaining missing skier, and recovery of the nine bodies is planned for when weather improves, reflecting the challenging conditions that still hamper rescue crews [1].